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Summary

"Kirk is raped by Parmen and then by a controlled Spock while on Platonius but is unable to deal with the responses evidenced from him and Spock during the ordeal."

Reactions and Reviews

One of my favorite episode-based K/S stories— the "real" story behind "Plato's Stepchildren". Here Parmen is appropriately villainous and the jeopardy really terrible. Parmen rapes Kirk and then makes him and Spock have sex in front of all the Platonians. There's some really excellent writing here—both are mortified yet secretly wanting to be with each other. During the forced sex show, Spock realizes he might be able to overcome Parmen, but he doesn't know for sure and isn't willing to risk Kirk's life. Parmen had demonstrated his powers by exploding a vase and implying he could do that to Kirk. I thought that was a terrific way to show Parmen's brutality and his complete lack of feeling for life. I also liked how this author took the Platonians' villainy to the extreme—much more than was possible to show in the episode.... Okay—here's another unresolved ending and it, too had its pros and cons. Pros because we know they'll be together again and what a powerful moment when Kirk forgives Spock, but it's too late. Cons because this whole last part was completely told instead of shown and required at least twenty pages instead of one paragraph! [1]

I can’t comment much on this story because rape sickens me too much to be able to distance myself enough and look at it dispassionately. Nevertheless, there is something I’d like to question. Would Parmen know the word “sodomy?” After all , it has its roots in Christian doctrine, the Old T estament, Sodom and Gomorrah. [2]